Merida
'Merida '''is the protagonist of Disney and Pixar's 2012 movie ''Brave. She is voiced by Kelly Macdonald, while her off-screen singing voice is provided by Julie Fowlis. She is the first Scottish princess in the Disney Princess franchise, the 11th official Disney Princess, and Pixar's first entry into the Princess franchise. Merida is currently voiced by Ruth Connell. Background Princess Merida is the headstrong and free-spirited 16-year-old tomboyish, willful daughter of Queen Elinor, who rules the kingdom alongside her husband, King Fergus. Queen Elinor's expectations of her daughter cause Merida to see Elinor as being distant while also causing friction between the two. Despite Elinor's desire to see Merida as a proper royal lady, Merida is an impetuous girl who wants to take control of her own destiny. Merida has honed her skill in archery, and is one of the most skilled archers ever seen. She is also skilled in sword-fighting and racing across the countryside on her horse, Angus. Despite her outgoing, forceful, headstrong and willful personality, Merida does have a playful softness of heart; particularly when it comes to her younger triplet brothers. Personality Merida is a very brave, bold, daring, courageous, stubborn, rebellious and headstrong girl who does not fit the stereotypical princess role. Rather than being a damsel in distress who is subservient to the customs, traditions, and social restrictions her society places on her and expects her to follow, Merida openly rebels and defies her heritage as a princess and would like for nothing more than to be a normal girl. She is very athletic and enjoys nothing more than riding her horse Angus and practicing her archery, of which she is the best in the kingdom. She also seems to be skilled in sword fighting, as shown in the Brave featurette "Cutting the Class". She tends to be ungraceful and has bad manners, and is extremely tomboyish. In terms of personality, she greatly parallels and resembles her father, as the two both tend to be unruly, impulsive and loud. However, she also does resemble her mother in terms of stubbornness and inability to listen to others. When Merida was younger, she was a very small, cute child and had a close relationship with both her mother and her father. She showed a curious side as she followed the wisps despite needing to go back to the trail and seemed to believe in the legends and myths of her kingdom, highlighting her innocence and naivety. She also tended to be playful, as shown by her playing hide and seek with her mother and being very hyperactive. She is also shown to have developed an interest in archery early on her childhood, possibly by influence from her father. As she has grown up, Merida is still very energetic and free spirited, but has a more strained relationship with her mother (though she still holds the same good relationship with her father) and is more rebellious. This is because she views the strict training and social etiquette that her mother teaches her as tedious and bothersome. She also thinks her mother places too much expectation on her to become the same type of person she is without listening to what she wants to be, which is true since her mother continually and strictly instructed her in how to be a "proper" princess, and arranged for the three clans to present the three clans' next heirs as potential fiancés for Merida without her consent while neglecting Merida's feelings. However, Merida also hardly ever understands her mother's feelings about wanting to do what she believed would be best for Merida or properly conveying her feelings and understanding how her desire for freedom and rebelliousness could potentially and negatively affect the kingdom. Over the course of the film, however, after Merida rebonds with her mother (in bear form) while they catch fish to eat at a river bank and realizes all the trouble she has caused with her reckless actions, she proceeds to make amends and (with help from her mother) creates a diplomatic solution that allows everyone to be happy and for her to have a better understanding of the importance of her mother's role and wisdom while teaching her mother to learn to listen and understand her better. She is also shown to be very adventurous and brave, as she enjoys wandering around the forests that surround her kingdom and even climbed the Crone's Tooth and drank from the fire falls, something her father has mentioned that only the bravest kings have done. She was also willing to defend her mother from her father after her father tried to kill her (as she was in her bear form and he mistakenly believed that she in her bear form killed Elinor) and again when she shot arrows at Mor'du to protect him from attacking her father. Unfortunately, Merida is very short tempered and impulsive, causing her to do things without considering the consequences her actions can lead to. For example, she wanted her parents to call off the gathering for the three clans allied with the DunBroch despite the fact it could possibly lead to war. She also entered the games that would determine who would be her groom so she could "shoot for her own hand." However, she was unaware that this would lead to a disagreement between the three clans and DunBroch clan until after she returns to the castle with her mother after going to the witch's cottage in an attempt to find a way to reverse the curse that turned Elinor into the bear. This was also shown when she bought a spell from a witch to "change her mother" without realizing the potential harm the spell could do to her or what would happen to her. It is through seeing the consequences of her actions that she goes to appreciate the role her mother plays as diplomat, especially when (due to Elinor being a bear) Merida had to act as the diplomat and settle matters herself. This also helps to mend the distance between her and Elinor. Merida can also be slightly selfish, as shown when after feeding her mother the cake that contained the spell that would "change her mother", she ignored her mother's pain and groaning and consistently bombarded her with questions of whether she had changed her mind about the engagement, and also when she wanted to call off the gathering, despite seemingly knowing it might cause trouble as she mentions "we expect your declarations of war in the morning". However, Merida can understand when she is in the wrong and will do her best to fix what has happened. Despite her impulsiveness and short tempered nature, Merida can keep a calm head in a dangerous situation, as shown when she managed to calm her mother after her mother nearly attacked and ran frantically after the wisps and when she settled the dispute between the three different clans. She is also very quick witted, as she quickly managed to bargain the witch for a spell by offering to give her her necklace in exchange for all of the wood carvings and one spell and when she realized she could enter herself in the games as she was "the first born of the four clans" and could therefore win her own hand in marriage, along with understanding that Mor'du the bear was actually the prince from the legends who led his kingdom into war between him and his brothers due to his selfish desire and lust for power. Merida is kind and caring to those she really cares about and who are very close to her, as shown through her interaction with her family, particularly her brothers (whom she dotes on). She is also shown to care for her horse, Angus, greatly, as she personally tends and cares for him and doesn't let anyone else do it for her. Overall, Merida has grown throughout the course of the film from a stubborn, rebellious, and defiant person to a more understanding, open minded individual but remaining brave, courageous, kind, adventurous, free spirited, compassionate, and loyal to those she loves the most. Sofia the First Merida made her special guest appearance on Sofia the First in the episode "The Secret Library" which premiered on the 12th of October this year. In the episode, Merida has become the first and only Pixar character to appear. Merida shoots an arrow in front of Sofia to get her attention as she appears from nowhere. Sofia hoped that Merida can help her find her aunt's bag, but Merida tells her she doesn't need it, all she needs is to believe that she can save them herself. At first Sofia still feels doubtful that she cannot do it but with a little more encouragement from Merida with Sofia shooting an arrow from her bow, she finally gains confidence that she can save Minimus and Mazzimo and fulfill her task as the storykeeper. Merida and Aunt Tilly watch Sofia take off with Tilly's winged horse Athena and flies off to the rescue. Merida's Quotes from The Secret Library * "Have I got your attention?" * "How can I help you, Sofia?" * "You don't need her bag of tricks. You're searching for the wrong thing in the wrong place. What you need can only be found within you." * "The belief that you can save them yourself." * "You can sing all you want about your doubts. We all have them, but you also have the power to wipe those doubts away. If you believe in yourself and what you can do, just stand tall and your aim will always be true." * "You can save your friends and you know it. So get on with it." * "Well, Sofia, what are you waiting for?"